Yarn carrier driver means for vee bed knitting machines

ABSTRACT

Yarn carrier driver means for vee bed knitting machines having a plurality of yarn carriers and comprising an endless chain assembly for imparting reciprocatory movement to a selected one of said yarn carriers, first adjusting means for adjusting the position of said selected yarn carrier relative to the cams of the cam boxes of the machine, and second adjusting means for reversing the position of said selected yarn carrier at the end of each stroke of said cam boxes.

United States Patent [15] 3,673,819

Swanwick et al. 1 July 4, 1972 [54] YARN CARRIER DRIVER MEANS FOR 56] References Cited VEE BED KNITTING MACHINES UMTED STATES PATENTS [72] n ento a y Frederick Swanwick, Melton 1,837,101 12/1931 Berner ..66/64 bray; Ernest West, Kirby-in-Ashfield; John 1,902,151 3/1933 Welch et al.. ...,.66/6O Harry Cuthbertson, Skegby Sutt, all of En- 3,390,55l 7/1968 Dhondt ...66/l27 gland 2,514,350 7/1950 Pianta.... ..66/126 [73] Assignee: S. A. Monk (Sutton-in-Ashfield) Limited, FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS SumMmAshfield, Emgland 643,644 9/1950 Great Britain ..66/126 [22] Filed: Nov. 6, 1970 Primary Examiner-Ronald Feldbaum [21] PP N03 87,434 Attorney-Baldwin,wight&Brown [30] Foreign Application Priority Data [57] ABSTRACT Yarn carrier driver means for vee bed knitting machines hav- NOV. 5, 1970 Great Bl'ltalll ..55,008/69 g a plurality of y carriers and comprising an endless chain assembly for imparting reciprocatory movement to a selected [52] U.S.Cl. ..66/l26 R, 66/64R one f id am carriers, first adjusting means for adjusting [51] Int. Cl. .D04b 15/52 the position of said selected yarn carrier relative to the cams [58] Field of Search .66/64, 60, 126, 130 o the a bo e of the machine, and second adjusting means for reversing the position of said selected yarn carrier at the end of each stroke of said cam boxes.

9 Claims, 9 Drawing Figures PA'TENTEDJUM 1972 SHEET 2 OF 7 PATENTEDJUL 41912 3.673.813

SHEET 30F 7 YARN CARRIER DRIVER MEANS FOR VEE BED KNITTING MACHINES This invention relates to yarn carrier driver means for vee bed knitting machines of the type having cam operated latch needles. The invention is applicable particularly to multi-head machines of this kind and to machines which are provided, in respect of each knitting head, with a plurality of yarn carriers.

In known vee bed knitting machines, which usually have one or two knitting heads or divisions, the yarn carriers are provided as individual units which are slidably mounted on fixed bars running the length of the machine. In this case, the problem of selecting the required carrier is a relatively simple operation, and the operation of positioning the yarn carrier relative to the cam box, both from the point of view of accurate laying of the yarn, and from the point of view of transferring the carrier from one side of the cam box to the other according to the direction of movement of the cam boxes, is effected by means of lost motion between the yarn carriers and their drive means.

In this latter respect, it will be understood that the need to position the yarn carriers accurately relative to the cam boxes is brought about by the fact that it is a characteristic of vee bed machines having more than one yarn carrier to each knitting head that the carriers must lie on the center line of the gap between the two needle beds, and must be able to pass one another when required. Although this can be assisted by the shape of the carrier noses and/or the use of deflecting cams on the carrier stems, it is necessary to stagger the positions of the carriers lengthwise of the knitting head. As will be appreciated, this results in the carriers being positioned at different distances from the cam boxes and it is this difference which is indicated above, must be corrected in order to effect accurate laying of the yarn.

While the shock loads set up by the use of the lost motion means do not create a problem in machines having one or two knitting heads, they do create a problem in larger machines having, for example, six heads, especially where the yarn carriers of all the heads are attached to a single carrier control rod running the full length of the machine the movement of which is effected from a control division, and especially where the lost motion means are utilized to position the carriers relative to the cam boxes both for the purpose of accurate yam laying and for the purpose of reversing the positions of the yarn carriers on reversal of the cam boxes. This is brought about mainly due to the increase in the mass weight which has to be handled.

It is among the objects of the present invention to avoid, or substantially reduce the above mentioned disadvantages.

According to the present invention, there is provided yarn carrier driver means for multi-head vee bed knitting machines in which a plurality of staggered yarn carriers are provided for each knitting head which carriers are traversed over their respective knitting beads by means of carrier control rods which are common to the corresponding carriers in each head and are operated from the control division of the machine, said means comprising an endless chain assembly for imparting reciprocatory movement to any one of the carrier control rods, adjustable carrier bolt means for selecting the required carrier control rod, and means for adjusting the positions of the selected yarn carriers relative to the cams of the cam boxes of the machine.

According to the invention furthermore, means are provided in operative association with the aforementioned adjusting means to alter, automatically at the end of each stroke of the cam boxes, the positions of the selected yarn carriers according to the direction of movement next to be imparted to the cam boxes. Thus, since during operation of the machine the yarn carriers require to be positioned towards the trailing ends of their co-acting cam boxes, it is necessary at the end of each stroke to reverse the positions of the yarn carriers. This adjustment is carried out in addition to any movement effected by the aforementioned adjusting means.

According to the invention still further, the endless chain assembly is formed with means operable in association with the knitting width or fashioning control means of the machine to determine the length of the stroke of the yarn carriers.

The invention is illustrated by way of example in the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a part plan view of a multi-head vee bed knitting machine,

FIG. 2 is a elevation, on an enlarged scale, corresponding to part of FIG. 1 and primarily showing the control division of the machine,

FIG. 3 is a section on the line 33 of FIG. 2,

FIG. 4 is a part plan view in the direction of the arrow 4 of FIG. 2,

FIGS. 5(a) and 5(b) show together an exploded perspective view of the means according to the invention, plus certain additional features necessary for a clear understanding of the invention,

FIG. 6 is a detail showing a development of a part of FIG. 5, and

FIG. 7 is a sectional elevation showing a modification.

Referring to the drawings, and particularly to FIG. 1, there is shown a vee bed knitting machine comprising a machine frame F which supports a control division C and a plurality of knitting divisions K. Each knitting division K has a front needle bed N1 and an co-acting rear needle bed N2 both of which support, in the usual manner, knitting needles N of the latch type which are actuated respectively by front and rear cam boxes CB.

The control division C houses a main traverse drive member TD which has coupled thereto front and rear control boxes B1 and B2 which in turn are connected respectively to the front and rear cam boxes CB by means of actuating bars A.

The main traverse drive member TD is reciprocated in known manner, between the position shown in solid lines and the position shown in dotted lines, by means of a main traverse chain TC. This reciprocation is also imparted, via the actuating bars A, to the cam boxes CB and is, in known manner, of variable stroke.

Referring now, particularly to FIGS. 2 to 6, each pair of cooperating needle beds N1 and N2 have operatively associated therewith yarn carriers 1 of which there are, for example, five, each yarn carrier 1 being attached to a' carrier control rod of which there are also five as indicated at 2a, 2b, 2c, 2d and 2e. In this respect, it will be appreciated that the needle beds N1 and N2 with their yarn carriers 1 represent one knitting division K of the machine, and that the carrier control rods 20 to 2e extend over the length of the machine and have their corresponding yarn carrier 1 of each knitting division attached thereto. Thus, where reference is made hereinafter to the yarn carrier 1, it will be understood that this means all the yarn carriers attached to one of the carrier control rods 2a to 22.

The yarn carriers 1 are staggered lengthwise of the machine so that they lie along the center line of the gap between the needle beds N1 and N2.

The carrier control rods 2a to 2e extend into the control division C of the machine and are each formed with a carrier gate 3 which co-acts with a carrier bolt 4 of a bolt housing 5 mounted for lengthwise sliding movement relative to bars 6. The position of the carrier bolt 4 is angularly adjustable as hereinafter described, to select which yarn carrier 1 is to be operated.

Movement of the carrier bolt 4 and thus also of the yarn carriers l is effected by means of an endless chain assembly generally indicated at 7. The chain assembly 7 comprises two spaced chains 8 and 9 each of which is supported on sprockets 10 to 19 inclusive and driven by sprocket 20. Sprockets 10, 11 and l2, 13 are mounted in fixed bearings on support bars 21 and 22 which are fixed to the main frame F of the machine. Sprockets l4, l5 and the drive sprocket 20 are supported on an adjuster unit 23 slidably mounted on a rod 24. A drive box 25 to which the bolt housing 5 is attached is formed with a slot 26 to receive a drive roller 27 which extends transversely between the two chains 8 and 9, the drive box being slidably mounted on the bar 22.

The sprockets 16, 17 and l8, 19 are supported in pairs on saddles 28 (see FIG. 2) which are slidably mounted on the support bars 21, 22, the saddles 28 being coupled, via brackets 29, to co-acting L.H. and R.H. nut housings 30 which are supported on L.H. and R.I-I. fashioning screws 31 which control the knitting width. As will be seen from the drawing, the pairs of sprockets 16, 17 and l8, 19 are arranged so as to provide cranked portions in the chain runs.

Drive to the drive sprocket 20, and thus also to the drive box 25 and the bolt housing 5, is effected by a toothed pinion 32 fixed to a spindle 33, which pinion co-acts with a rack 34. The rack 34 is slidable, via guides 35, on a fixed slide rail 36 and is in operative engagement with the main traverse drive member TD via a bracket 37. Thus, the rack 34 has imparted thereto reciprocal movement lengthwise of the machine by the main traverse drive TD which also imparts reciprocatory movement to the pairs of cam boxes CB provided to operate the needles of each knitting division.

The operation of the apparatus described so far is as follows. The main traverse drive TD moves the rack 34 relative to the pinion 32 and the pinion drives the drive sprocket 20.

The stroke of the yarn carrier 1 is controlled by the pairs of sprockets 16, 17 and 18, 19 the positions of which, as hereinbeforc described, are controlled by the knitting width control mechanism 30, 31. Thus, when moving from right to left, movement of the drive roller 27, on reaching the bottom dead center position of the sprocket 17, will change from horizontal to vertical thereby slowing down the movement of the drive box 25, and thereafter the drive roller 27 will be released from the slot 26 and the drive box will come to a halt shocklessly against a stop (not shown). The drive roller 27 will continue its movement as dictated by the main drive until it comes to rest at a position beyond the upper sprocket 16. On reversal of the main drive, the drive roller 27 moves downwardly where it engages the slot 26 and accelerates into the horizontal position and moves the drive box 25 in the opposite direction. In this latter respect, since the carrier bolt 4 is a close fit in the carrier gate 3 of the selected carrier control rod, no undue strain is placed on the mechanism as is the case where noramlly lost motion is provided by arranging the carrier gate 3 to be of larger size than that of the carrier bolt 4.

The operation when moving from'left to right is carried out in the same manner as that described above.

Since the yarn carriers 1 are staggered and are spaced longitudinally of the needle beds, the initial position of each carrier relative to the cam boxes CB differs. It is therefore necessary to provide means which are effective to adjust this position according to the particular yarn carrier selected. In this respect, it will be appreciated that, in order to effect accurate yarn laying, the position of the yarn carrier relative to the cams of the cam boxes during traverse is fairly critical. This positioning is shown in FIG. 2 where the yarn carrier 1 of the carrier control rod 2: is shown on the trailing side of the cam box CB moving in the direction of the arrow 38. Thus, an adjusting mechanism is provided to position each carrier as it is selected. This mechanism, in effect, changes the relationship of the driving chains relative to the cam box.

The adjusting mechanism, which is generally indicated at 39, comprises a double-acting ram 40 the piston rod of which is attached to a toothed rack 41 which co-operates with a toothed pinion 42, The pinion 42 is mounted on the piston rod 43 of a second double-acting ram 44 and is operatively connected to a displacement cam 45 which is operable to move a displacement bar 46, which is attached to the adjuster unit 23, in a lengthwise direction. The cam 45 has peripheral steps or dwells which correspond to the positions of each of the yarn carriers 1 as is indicated in FIG. 5 and which co-act with stop 45a and 45b formed on the end of the bar 46. A series of stop levers 47, operated by a corresponding series of solenoids 48, are pivotable into the path of a stop 49 fixed to the rack 41 to position the ram 40 according to the yarn carrier which is required to be selected.

An alternative arrangement for the control of the ram 40 for yarn carrier selection is shown in FIG. 7, wherein a series of switches 50a, 50b, 50c, 50d and 502 (two only of which are shown in the drawing) which correspond to the carrier control rods 2a to 2e are mounted above the rack 41 to be operated by a cam 51 provided on the rack 41.

In this arrangement, the ram 40 is operated under the control of a double solenoid valve of the type manufactured by Vickers Sperry Rand, and designated Series DG4M4. When operative, such a valve allows oil to flow in one direction, dependent upon which solenoid has been energized and, upon de-energization of the solenoid, the valve is centralized thereby providing a non-return seal in both directions of possible oil flow. In this way, the yarn carrier selection is held in one position regardless of general changes in pressure in the hydraulic system.

Yarn carrier selection is made from a control mechanism, for example in the manner disclosed in our British Pat. Spec. No. 1,200,473, from a reading head scanning a punched control tape. To energize one of the valve solenoids, the electric circuit of the machine is arranged so that either switch 500 or 50e is made live, together with the switch which corresponds to the selected yarn carrier. Energization of the respective solenoid determines the direction of movement of the ram 40 with its rack 41 and, upon cam 51 engaging either switch 50b, 50c or 50d which ever is live, the ram will stop in a position corresponding to the selected yarn carrier. Upon engagement between the cam 51 and the selected or live switch, the circuit to the respective valve solenoid will be opened thereby deenergizing it and centralizing the valve which stop the oil flow. If yarn carrier 2a or 2e is required, then of course only switch 50a or 50:? will be made operative.

In addition, a plate cam 52 is fitted to one side of the rack 41 to co-act with a lever 53 secured to a splined shaft 54 operatively associated with the carrier bolt 4. This mechanism serves to alter the angle of the carrier bolt 4 to cause interengagement between the carrier bolt and the selected yarn carrier.

Thus, in use, if it is desired to select yarn carrier 2e, the ram 40 is operated to turn the cam 45, via the pinion 42, to the appropriate step or dwell. This causes lengthwise movement of bar 46, and thus also of adjuster unit 23, which movement, via the chains 8, 9, advances or retards the position of the drive roller 27 relative to the cam boxes CB. Thus, irrespective of which yarn carrier selected, the relationship, distancewise, between the cam boxes and the yarn carrier will always be the same. It will also be realized that movement of the rack 41 will cause, via the lever 53, angular adjustment of the carrier bolt 4 to select the desired yarn carrier.

Thus, the adjusting mechanism serves simultaneously to select the required yarn carrier and to adjust the position of the drive roller 27 relative to the cams in the cam boxes CB in relation to that yarn carrier.

In machines of this kind, the yarn carriers are positioned towards the trailing ends of the cam boxes during a knitting operation and therefore, each time the direction of movement of the cam boxes is changed so must the position of the yarn carrier be changed. It is for this purpose that the ram 44 supporting the pinion 42 is provided. Thus, at the end of each stroke, the ram 44 is operated to move the adjuster unit 23, via the bar 46, so that the yarn carriers 1 are positioned towards the trailing end of the cam boxes in readiness for the next operation. To effect this, the width of the rack 41 is greater than that of the pinion 42 so that the latter can slide'transversely of the former without having any effect on the adjustment effected by the rack 41.

Thus, it will be understood that the two adjustments, i.e., the first adjustment to achieve the correct distance relationship between the yam carrier and the cams of the cam boxes, and the second adjustment which reverses the position of the yarn carrier at the end of each stroke, are effected without one adjustment influencing the other.

It will be noted that reference has been made to the fact that the carrier control rods extend over the whole length of the machine. In this respect, it will be understood that the invention applies to multi-head machines either where a central control division is provided or where a control division is provided at one end of the machine. Thus, in the former case, the carrier control rods will extend outwardly in both directions from the center, and in the latter case, in one direction from one end of the machine.

We claim:

1. Yarn carrier driver means for multi-head vee bed knitting machines in which a plurality of staggered yarn carriers are provided for each of said knitting heads, said yarn carriers of each knitting head being reciprocated, in unison with a respective cam box which operates the needles of the machine, over their respective knitting head, via carrier control rods which are common to the corresponding yarn carriers in each of said knitting heads and are operated from the control division of the machine, said driver means comprising an endless chain assembly for imparting reciprocatory movement to a selected one of said carrier control rods, carrier bolt means for selecting said carrier control rod, and adjusting means for adjusting the positions of the yarn carriers of said selected carrier control rod relative to the cams of the respective cam box.

2. Yarn carrier driver means for multi-head vee bed knitting machines in which a plurality of staggered yarn carriers are provided for each of said knitting head, said yarn carries being reciprocated, in unison with cam boxes which operate the needles of the machine, over their respective knitting heads, via carrier control rods which are common to the corresponding yarn carriers in each of said knitting heads and are operated from the control division of the machine, said driver means comprising an endless chain assembly for imparting reciprocatory movement to a selected one of said carrier control rods; carrier bolt means for selecting said carrier control rod, first adjusting means for adjusting the positions of the yarn carriers of said selected carrier control rod relative to the cams of said cam boxes, and second adjusting means operative in association with said first adjusting means to alter automatically at the end of each stroke of said cam boxes the positions of said yarn carriers of said selected carrier control rods, according to the direction of movement next to be imparted to said cam boxes and said yarn carriers.

3. Means as claimed in claim 2, in which said chain-assembly comprises at least one endless chain supported on pairs of spaced fixed sprockets to present a lower run and an upper run, said lower run being in driving connection with a driven sprocket mounted on an adjuster unit, and said upper run being cranked by means of pairs of spaced sprockets which are adjustable towards and away from one another by fashioning mechanisms which also control the knitting width of the machine, drive being imparted to said driven sprocket by rack and pinion means operable from a main traverse drive of the machine, said traverse drive also imparting reciprocal movement to said cam boxes.

4. Means as claimed in claim 3, in which said upper run of said endless chain is removably connected to a drive box which supports said carrier bolt means, said carrier bolt means consisting of a bolt housing, and an angularly adjustable carrier selection bolt mounted on said bolt housing to co-act with a carrier gate of said selected carrier rod.

5. Means as claimed in claim 4, in which said first adjusting means comprise a double-acting variable stroke hydraulic ram, a toothed rack mounted on said rams piston rod, a pinion co-acting with said toothed rack and operatively associated with a displacement cam, a displacement bar extendin between satd displacement cam and said ad uster unit, an

stop means for controlling the length of stroke of the cam.

6. Means as claimed in claim 5, in which said stop means comprise a plurality of spaced solenoid-actuated pivot levers positioned to co-act with a stop provided on said rack of said ram.

7. Means as claimed in claim 5, in which said stop means comprise a plurality of spaced switches arranged in said hydraulic ram control circuit, said switches being operable by means of a cam positioned on said rack of said hydraulic ram.

8. Means as claimed in claim 5, including a plate cam mounted on said rack of said hydraulic ram, and a lever connected to said carrier selection bolt and operatively associated with said plate cam, whereby movement of said plate cam is effective to impart angular movement to said carrier selection bolt to select the desired carrier control rod.

9. Means as claimed in claim 5, in which said second adjusting means comprise a double-acting hydraulic ram supporting said pinion which co-acts with said toothed rack of said hydraulic ram and said displacement cam, said toothed rack being of such dimensions as to permit of relative transverse movement between said toothed rack and said co-acting pinion while maintaining interengagement therebetween. 

1. Yarn carrier driver means for multi-head vee bed knitting machines in which a plurality of staggered yarn carriers are provided for each of said knitting heads, said yarn carriers of each knitting head being reciprocated, in unison with a respective cam box which operates the needles of the machine, over their respective knitting head, via carrier control rods which are common to the corresponding yarn carriers in each of said knitting heads and are operated from the control division of the machine, said driver means comprising an endless chain assembly for imparting reciprocatory movement to a selected one of said carrier control rods, carrier bolt means for selecting said carrier control rod, and adjusting means for adjusting the positions of the yarn carriers of said selected carrier control rod relative to the cams of the respective cam box.
 2. Yarn carrier driver means for multi-head vee bed knitting machines in which a plurality of staggered yarn carriers are provided for each of said knitting head, said yarn carries being reciprocated, in unison with cam boxes which operate the needles of the machine, over their respective knitting heads, via carrier control rods which are common to the corresponding yarn carriers in each of said knitting heads and are operated from the control division of the machine, said driver means comprising an endless chain assembly for imparting reciprocatory movement to a selected one of said carrier control rods; carrier bolt means for selecting said carrier control rod, first adjusting means for adjusting the positions of the yarn carriers of said selected carrier control rod relative to the cams of said cam boxes, and second adjusting means operative in association with said first adjusting means to alter automatically at the end of each stroke of said cam boxes the positions of said yarn carriers of said selected carrier control rods, according to the direction of movement next to be imparted to said cam boxes and said yarn carriers.
 3. Means as claimed in claim 2, in which said chain assembly comprises at least one endless chain supported on pairs of spaced fixed sprockets to present a lower run and an upper run, said lower run being in driving connection with a driven sprocket mounted on an adjuster unit, and said upper run being cranked by means of pairs of spaced sprockets which are adjustable towards and away from one another by fashioning mechanisms which also control the knitting width of the machine, drive being imparted to said driven sprocket by rack and pinion means operable from a main traverse drive of the machine, said traverse drive also imparting reciprocal movement to said cam boxes.
 4. Means as claimed in claim 3, in which said upper run of said endless chain is removably connected to a drive box which supports said carrier bolt means, said carrier bolt means consisting of a bolt housing, and an angularly adjustable carrier selection bolt mounted on said bolt housing to co-act with a carrier gate of said selected carrier rod.
 5. Means as claimed in claim 4, in which said first adjusting means comprise a double-acting variable stroke hydraulic ram, a toothed rack mounted on said rams piston rod, a pinion co-acting with said toothed rack and operatively associated with a displacement cam, a displacement bar extending between said displacement cam and said adjuster unit, and stop means for controlling the length of stroke of the cam.
 6. Means as claimed in claim 5, in which said stop means comprise a plurality of spaced solenoid-actuated pivot levers positioned to co-act with a stop provided on said rack of said ram.
 7. Means as claimed in claim 5, in which said stop means comprise a plurality of spaced switches arranged in said hydraulic ram control circuit, said switches being operable by means of a cam positioned on said rack of said hydraulic ram.
 8. Means as claimed in claim 5, including a plate cam mounted on said rack of said hydraulic ram, and a lever connected to said carrier selection bolt and operatively associated with said plate cam, whereby movement of said plate cam is effective to impart angular movement to said carrier selection bolt to select the desired carrier control rod.
 9. Means as claimed in claim 5, in which said second adjusting means comprise a double-acting hydraulic ram supporting said pinion which co-acts with said toothed rack of said hydraulic ram and said displacement cam, said toothed rack being of such dimensions as to permit of relative transverse movement between said toothed rack and said co-acting pinion while maintaining interengagement therebetween. 